Parents and guardians are reminded that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine is available in a one-dose schedule, and is one of the vaccines being offered to children at the 11-plus stage.
At a meeting of the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) in April 2022, it was concluded that a single-dose Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine delivers solid protection against HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer. The one-dose is comparable to the previously given two-dose schedule.
The HPV vaccine reduces the incidence of cervical cancer, which is the third most common cause of death from cancer in females in Barbados. It results from persistent infection in the cervix with high-risk strains of the HPV. The vaccine also protects males against warts and certain cancers caused by HPV.
This vaccine, while not mandatory in Barbados, is administered to children from as early as nine-years-old with the consent of a parent or guardian, through to age 20. This is done since the risk of HPV infection is considered high among the adolescent and young adult population.
The HPV vaccine is administered at all polyclinics at no charge to the public. It may also be accessed in the private healthcare sector, through some paediatricians and general practitioners.